ITALY: Doing Her Part

Six weeks ago, the Western Allies forgave
Italy ber war guilt and wrote off the restraints of the peace treaty so
that Italy could build air and ground forces for Western defense (TIME,
Dec. 31). Last week Premier Alcide de Gasperi, after an eleven-hour
cabinet session, announced a 1952-53 budget of $3.4 billions, of which
almost a third is for "internal and international security." He had to
face down ministers who wanted more money for the unemployed and for
essential social reforms, who worried about high taxes, and who wanted
to get the U.S. to pay the arms bill. He...